Sen. Steve Dille not seeking re-election
By Janet Kubat Willette
jkubat@agrinews.com
Date Modified: 02/11/2010 8:03 AM
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DASSEL, Minn. — Sen. Steve Dille will be spending more time on the farm after this legislative session.
The Dassel Republican announced in November that he does not intend to seek re-election this year.
After 34 years in elected office, Dille, 64, said he is tired of doing two jobs and needs to cut back. A veterinarian, farmer and legislator, he plans to continue farming after his legislative retirement.
"Dille is one of my key people," said Sen. Jim Vickerman, DFL-Tracy, chair of the Senate ag committee. "He's been a real plus to me. You can't help but like him."
"We are really going to miss his leadership in the Minnesota Legislature," said former state Rep. Steve Wenzel of Little Falls. Wenzel chaired the House agriculture committee when Dille was first elected to the House.
Dille quickly became his go-to guy in the minority party, Wenzel said. He was very knowledgeable about agriculture, interested in it and watned to make sure agricultural interests advanced throughout the state.
Agriculture has been Dille's legislative priority, agreed agriculture commissioner Gene Hugoson. Hugoson and Dille were among five Republican freshmen sent to the Minnesota House of Representatives in the election of 1986. The rest of the 28 new House members elected that year were DFL'ers.
Dille said he met a sad bunch of Republicans after his election. He was told he wouldn't get hearings on any of his bills and the best he could hope for was to be re-elected and become a member of the majority party.
Dille, brimming with ideas from his time as county commissioner and township officer, persevered anyway.
He co-authored a pseudorabies erradication control bill that year and chief authored a farm safety bill that established a farm safety task force and a farm safety position within University of Minnesota Extension. The farm safety bill drew national attention, Dille said.
Wenzel was fair to him and gave all his bills a hearing. Wenzel also put him on the omnibus ag bill conference committee the first year he was in the Legislature, Dille said.
He served as the lead Republican on the House or Senate agriculture committee for most of his 24-year legislative tenure.
Dille co-authored the 1991 Wetland Conservation Act, working with long-time legislator Willard Munger, who chaired the Environment and Natural Resources Committee.
That was a difficult and contentious issue, Wenzel said.
He was the co-author of feedlot and animal health legislation and he has passed a number of initiatives designed to strengthen families. All while a member of the minority party. Dille spent his entire career as a member of the minority.
"Without question, while he was a member of the minority, he exercised great influence," Wenzel said.